Chapter 47
Chapter 47
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: The Mixed-Blood's Battlefield (11)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Eldrian wasn't exactly thrilled about the mercenary named Number 17 that his sister had sent him.
'What the hell is she scheming...?'
He knew his sister all too well.
She always pretended otherwise, hiding her true feelings, but deep down, she harbored ambitions to drag him down at every turn.
That's why it grated on him that she'd sent just one mercenary as a "gift" to his frontline unit, the Eloy Company.
According to reports, this one was leagues above your average mixed-blood in ability.
Strong enough to wipe out an entire doppelganger unit single-handedly.
'Why would that woman send me a mercenary like that...? And only one...'
There was definitely something fishy going on.
Was it to sabotage his operations?
Maybe an assassination attempt?
Or a spy?
Any of those, and a mixed-blood would be perfect for the job.
If they got caught, you could just discard them.
That made Eldrian even more suspicious of his sister's "gift."
And the moment he came to see this Number 17 mixed-blood in person...
"Guh...!"
An unsettling scent wafted from the bastard.
It hit Eldrian like he'd been castrated, shrinking him in humiliation.
'What the hell is this mixed-blood freak...!'
Eldrian pinched his nose shut for a moment.
But his pride stung, so he quickly dropped his hand and forced a calm expression.
'How dare you... humiliate me like this...'
His pride as a pureblood fairy.
His dignity as a noble male.
Having both crushed in an instant was a first for him.
"...You're Number 17, the mixed-blood?"
"Yes, sir."
"What do you do?"
"......I was a gladiator slave competing in the arenas of the mercenary city Parion. This time, I've been hired from there and dispatched here."
"......"
Parion.
The most reliable city in the mercenary trade.
'Why the hell would Elena pull someone from a place like that...'
Something was definitely up.
At the very least, he'd just confirmed it wasn't anything good for him.
And then.
"Hm...?"
Step, step, step.
'Ireila...?'
Eldrian spotted Ireila slowly approaching from where the mixed-blood unit had come running.
She walked over with an impassive face, stood behind Number 17, and gave him a curt bow.
Still as rude as ever for a shadow knight.
But.
"Ireila."
"Yes, Lord Eldrian."
Right now, her presence was more than welcome.
Ireila mainly served Elena as her shadow knight, after all.
"Come over here."
"......Yes."
Eldrian dismounted and moved to a spot a short distance away to face her.
"Why are you here, you wench?"
"......"
"Answer me. That's an order."
"......"
Ireila briefly averted her eyes from Eldrian's glare.
Then, prodded by his insistent stare, she reluctantly spoke.
"I've come to take the Number 17 slave... back."
"...Take him back?"
Nod.
Ireila just nodded affirmatively to his question.
'Why...?'
This mixed-blood had only arrived at the front lines a little over a week ago.
And now they were recalling him already?
It was suspicious.
Even if it was for extracting info, a week was way too short.
"......That one's a mercenary my sister gifted me. I can't fathom why she'd want him back now."
"......"
"Explain yourself."
"......I don't know the details. I was just given orders."
"......"
Was she playing dumb, or did she really not know?
'Doesn't matter either way... The key point is that Elena wants that mixed-blood back.'
Something smelled off.
The fact that Elena had sent Ireila personally meant it was urgent.
Not sending him back would hurt Elena even more.
'No, not just not sending him... What if I just kill him...?'
He didn't seem to have anything particularly special about him.
So the reason Elena wanted him back in such a hurry had to be information.
Kill him, and that info dies with him.
"Ireila, go back. He's my subordinate now, my property. Even if it's from my sister, I can't just let her take back a gift so easily."
"......Then I'll stay here."
"Why?"
"Lady Elena forbade me from returning until I bring you back."
"Hmph..."
He could force her to leave if he wanted.
'But if I do, Elena herself might come here.'
If she found out he'd driven off her shadow knight personally, she wouldn't stay quiet.
"Fine, do whatever you want."
"Thank you."
Bow.
Ireila bowed her head and returned to Number 17's side.
"......"
Eldrian watched her for a moment, then turned his gaze to Eloi.
"General Eloi."
"Yes."
"We've now reclaimed half the elven territory those chaos spawn stole from us."
"That's right."
"Then we should keep up the momentum and drive even deeper into their lines, don't you think?"
"......"
Eloi pondered Eldrian's intent, waiting for him to continue.
Finally, Eldrian revealed his goal.
"Attack their main base."
"......!"
"I hear that mixed-blood unit put on quite a show. You can handle it, right?"
"......"
The doppelganger main base.
Just as Eldrian commanded the elven side, a pureblood doppelganger led theirs.
He was ordering Eloi's company to take down that pureblood doppelganger.
'...This is insane.'
All Eloi could picture was his own annihilation at the hands of that pureblood doppelganger.
But refusal wasn't an option.
"Understood!"
Salute!
Eloi pounded his fist to his chest in loyalty.
'That'll take care of that mixed-blood on the battlefield.'
If Eloi wasn't an idiot, he'd throw that mixed-blood's recon unit into the main base assault.
Once reports of their annihilation came in, he could just pull back from the base.
That would settle Number 17 for good.
"I'll be waiting for good news, General Eloi."
"Yes! I won't let you down!"
With that, Eldrian left as abruptly as he'd arrived.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 'What the...?'
This pureblood fairy named Eldrian had shown up out of nowhere and left just as suddenly.
Not just our squadmates, even Karlov looked baffled.
And then, Eloi started walking over from afar.
"General!"
"Good work. At ease."
We followed behind Karlov, facing Eloi and rising from our kneel.
"Just now, the Supreme Commander gave me a mission before leaving."
"A mission...?"
"Yes."
Eloi began his explanation with a slightly uncomfortable expression.
At a glance, he looked like a veteran sergeant who'd been around the block.
"We're going to hit the doppelganger main base."
"The main... base..."
And my gut feeling hadn't been wrong.
"Their main base has a pureblood doppelganger. It'll be a dangerous battlefield."
"......"
"But we've received orders from the Supreme Commander, so we follow them."
Eloi continued.
At his words, Karlov cautiously raised his hand to speak.
"General... if I may be so bold. ...Why are you telling us directly? We're just the mixed-blood unit."
"......"
Karlov's question was valid.
An elf general of Eloi's rank had no need to brief a mixed-blood unit personally.
He could've just sent a subordinate with the orders.
In response to Karlov's question, Eloi looked at me.
"......I've realized something from this battle."
"......"
"You'll probably shine in the next one. That's why I'm telling you myself."
"......"
"Everyone, return to base and rest up. We'll move out soon."
"Yes, sir."
As Karlov answered, the whole mixed-blood unit snapped to attention.
Eloi departed as well.
'Their main base, huh...'
Why had that pureblood elf suddenly ordered Eloi's unit to assault the doppelganger base?
"Hey, Ireila."
"Yeah?"
I looked at Ireila, who'd spoken with Eldrian earlier.
"Did you talk about anything with that pureblood elf just now?"
I didn't really expect an honest answer.
She was a shadow knight for the pureblood elf side, after all.
If it was confidential, she'd keep it secret.
But.
"Yeah, he asked why I was here, so I said Lady Elena sent me to pick you up."
"......"
"He refused. Said I couldn't take you. So I said I'd stay. That's it."
"......You can just spill all that?"
"Why not?"
"Well... it was a private talk with your master."
"......"
Ireila stared at me blankly at my question, lost in thought for a moment.
Then she answered casually.
"Dunno. You asked, so I felt like telling you."
"...What does that even mean?"
"Just what I said."
She was still as inscrutable as ever.
'He blocked Elena's order to recall me...'
More importantly, I needed to infer that pureblood noble's intentions from what she'd told me.
Elena wanted me back because of the prophecy, thanks to Quartet of the Wind.
Did Eldrian know about that?
If he did, why block it?
And why order Eloi's unit—mine—to charge the doppelganger base?
'One thing's clear... no good intentions there.'
Just like that sister of his, huh...
Shady and underhanded vibes.
'A pureblood doppelganger...'
Purebloods were strong.
I probably couldn't beat one as I was now.
I'd barely survived Ireila, after all.
'He wants me dead...?'
Not certain, but the possibility was there.
And then.
Whoosh.
"Wha—hey! What the, suddenly."
"Just."
Ireila suddenly grabbed my hand with hers.
Her clean, soft hand overlaid my filthy one, caked in blood and dirt.
Her warmth seeped in, followed by her calm voice.
"Don't worry."
"......About what?"
"I'll protect you."
"......"
"That's why I stayed."
"......"
I stared blankly at the expressionless Ireila.
"Is that..."
Feeling my heart tremble, I asked carefully.
"Because your master ordered it...?"
She fell silent at my question for a moment.
Then answered shortly, in her steady voice.
"Dunno."
"......"
Still no clue what was going through her head.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'Eternal Teacher of the Fairies' watches you with a pleased gaze.] [Ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin' watches you with interest.]